Vehicle top



Dec. 18 1923.

M. s. BALDVWN VEHICLE TOP Filed 'June' 11. 1921 Morifan 1 530120510571 3 WWW /%/%W Patented Dec. 18, 1.923.

MORTON s. BALDWIN, or nnrnorr, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DETROIT roncrne CQIVZPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A'oonPoRATIoN or MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE TOP.

Application filed June 11, 1921. SerialNo. 476.694.

To all 1072 am it may concern:

Be it known that I, il'fORTON S. BALDWIN,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of lifichigan, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Tops, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to folding tops for vehicles and has for one of its objects the provision of a top which will provide clear Vision to the occupants of the vehicle and in which the bows will extend substantially 15 parallel to each other when the top is folded. lVith these objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a top enibodying my invention and in extended position and showing in outline the fabric covering;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the top in folded position;

Figure 8 is a detail.

1 is the main bow pivotally connected at 39 the lower ends of its standards to the vehicle body 2 and extending upwardly and rear wardly from its pivots to a point such that its upper end is substantially vertically above the rear end of the vehicle body. 3 is 1 3 a spacing member pivoted at its lower end to the ears 4 upon the standards of the main bow and extending upwardly and forwardly. This spacing member is preferably a bow, which is designated as an intermediate bow. 5 is a forwardly extending and substantially horizontal bipartite outrigger bow pivoted to the ears 3 upon the standards of the intermediate bow and comprising the forward and rearward members 6 and 7 respectively, which are pivotally connected to each other by a hinge of the elbow or look type. The forward end of the outrigger bow is adapted to be secured to the standards of a windshield frame after any usual manner.

For supporting nd bracing the outrigger bow in extended position, there are the links 8 pivoted to the forward members 6 of the outrigger bow and to the ears 9 upon the standards of the intermediate bow 3 and also the toggle links 10 pivoted to the ears 9 and to the ears 11 upon the standards of the main bow 1. The same pivots 12 upon the ears 9 connect the links 8 and toggle links 10 to the ears and to permit of folding, the links 8 have at their rear ends the longitudinally extending elongated apertures 13 slid ably engaged in by the pivots 12. The forward links 14; of the toggle links have at their rear ends and lower edges the lateral projections 15 for engaging the lower edges of the forward ends of the rearward links 16 to limit the relative rotation of the links in the opening direction so that the bipartite outrigger bow will be substantially hori zontal in extended position.

With this arrangement, it is seen that the intermediate bow 3 functions to space the pivotal points of connection of the links 8 and of the bipartite outrigger bow and acts to brace the bipartite outrigger bow with the links 8 and toggle links 10. Further more, by having the toggle links 10, the intermediate bow as shown in Figure 2 can be made to assume a position substantially parallel with the main bow 1 when the top is folded whereby the folded top is compact and presents a neat and pleasing appearance.

For the purpose of supporting the portion of the fabric cover intermediate the forward end of the bipartite outrigger bow and the outer end of the intermediate bow, there are the forward and rearward extension bows 17 and 18 respectively pivotally connected to suitable ears upon the rearward members 7 of the outrigger bow and extending upwardly and forwardly from their pivotal points of connection. 19 is a spacing link pivoted to the forward member 6 of the outrigger bow and to the forward extension bow l7, and 20 is a second spacing link pivoted to forward and rearward extension bows whereby the same will assume their proper positions when the top is extended. WVith this construction of spacing links the extension and outrigger bows will be in close proximity to each other when folded. It is obvious that the number of extension bows may be varied.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a folding top for vehicles, a main bow, a spacing member pivotally secured to said main bow, a bipartite outrigger bow pivoted to said spacing member, a link pivotally connected to the forward member of said outrigger bow, toggle links pivotally til) connected to said main bow, and a common pivot for said link and toggle links carried by said spacing member, said link having an elongated opening therein slidably engaged by said common pivot to provide a loose connection between the said link and 7 said spacing member.

2. In a folding top for vehicles, a main bow, a spacing member pivotally secured to said main bow, a bipartite outrigger bow pivotally connected to said spacing member, a single link for supporting the forward member of said outrigger bow from said spacing member, intermediate bows pivoted directly to the rear member of said outrigger bow, toggle links supporting said spacing member from said main bow, a link connecting one of said intermediate bows,

and a link connecting one or said intermedi ate bows to the forward member of said outrigger bow.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MORTON S. BALDWIN. 

